Everybody should be affected by their own realities in their own lives, their own struggles in their own lives. It makes us who we are, and we all know that.
— Hope Solo
You know journalists. You know the media. They are going to hang on to anything negative they possibly can.
I've always been a fan of Justin Timberlake.
My father showed me so much love. He showed my brother so much love.
I think at an early age I learned not to judge people.
I like to read books and be alone; I'm not social butterfly person.
I'm just going to embrace every experience.
In front of the world, all of a sudden I'm a great athlete and I'm put into an environment with 25 other women and I'm expected to go to team meals, team functions.
I played in Europe and it was a great experience, not just because of my team-mates and the coaches we had, but from the fans and the city itself - I played in Gothenburg and I played in Lyon and soccer was everywhere.
It took putting one foot in front of the other every single day to get through it to the point where I made it back on the team and won a gold medal in 2008.
I've been through a lot of things in my personal and family life. That turned me into a fighter. I always strive to be the best I possibly can.
I never wanted to go to college in the state of Washington because I was so embarrassed and ashamed of my family life. I wanted to run. That's what always what I do, I run. I run as far away as I can.
I like to read books and be alone; I'm not social butterfly person. I'm sorry.
My confidence comes from the daily grind - training my butt off day in and day out.
I hate the cliche of 'just have fun,' but what I've seen in today's sports, especially with parents, is they put so much pressure on the kids.
I think every athlete has their window of opportunity, and you just have to jump on it. You never know when it can end. So I'm just trying to live large while I have the opportunity.
I usually tell people I watch like '24' and 'Prison Break.'
I don't just want to focus on soccer, soccer, soccer. You're going to look back 20 years from now and of course you're going to remember the games. But I'm going to remember seeing my family in the stands.
When the Olympics and World Cups come around, that's when you see the real outpouring of support that there really is for female football.
I think the concept of seeking fame and fortune in women's football in the States is a bit idyllic. Look at all the teams in America that have folded, and the leagues.
London 2012 is all about winning a medal. Not just any medal, the gold medal.
I've learned that winning isn't everything, and it's more about the journey. But at the end of the day, I just want to stand on the podium with the gold medal.
My life is a beautiful struggle.
I'm a nerd at heart.
A lot of people think I'm naturally confident. I am not naturally confident!
My father was never around. But I glorified my father, and I was always daddy's little girl. He was my first soccer coach.
I take everything with a grain of salt.
I never go on Facebook! I like, haven't confirmed anybody to be my friend on Facebook. I have lots of friends; I'm just really bad at Facebook.
I just want to stay in my hotel room, read my book. I enjoy that private time.
I never felt the same passion for the game in the States and there were a lot of headaches, a lot of obstacles to overcome - it didn't just run itself for the love of the game because soccer is not the No. 1 sport as it is in Europe.
Athletes are extremists. When they're training, it's laser focus.
I think it's my personality to overcome things, learn from them and become stronger, both personally and professionally. To be honest, I welcome those hardships.
You're always going to survive the pain of loss. I can live with that confidence inside of me.
